No Longer Alone
by Miss M Cricket
Summary: An unexpected rescue after Danarius recaptures Fenris in 'Alone'.


**No Longer Alone**

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><p><strong>Title: No Longer Alone<br>Author: **miss_m_cricket**  
>Fandom: Dragon Age 2<br>Pairing: Fenris/Anders (Fenders)  
>Comm: <strong>dragonage_kink<strong>  
>Rating: PG-13<strong>**  
>Prompt: <em>When Danarius finally showed his face, Fenris had intended to rip his heart out of his chest and expected to have Hawke by his side to aid him in the battle. He did not expect Hawke to give him back to his old master simply to avoid a fight. Not at all. He was not surprised, though, to hear Anders approving of the action as Danarius dragged him away. What did surprise him was someone storming into Danarius's manor in Tevinter a few weeks after the incident, demanding that Fenris be released moments before his memories were to be erased.<em>**

_**Especially since that someone was Anders.**_

**Summary: A few weeks ago Fenris would never have imagined giving himself up to Danarius, he never would have dreamed of following along behind his former Master, head lowered, cowed into submission. A few weeks ago he never would have believed Hawke, his ally, his friend, would turn on him so and hand him back over to Danarius without a murmur.**

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><p><strong>No Longer Alone<strong>

A few weeks ago Fenris would never have imagined giving himself up to Danarius, he never would have dreamed of following along behind his former Master, head lowered, cowed into submission. A few weeks ago he never would have believed Hawke, his ally, his friend, would turn on him so and hand him back over to Danarius without a murmur.

But he had, Hawke had actually abandoned him right when he needed him most. Merrill had protested but the Mage, the Abomination had shushed her, telling her it was for the best. Oh he wanted to hate Anders for this, but in truth he had expected no less from him. Never mind that he would not have sat by idly if Templars had come for him, no matter what his views on Mages. Anders was one of them.

Now it seemed that he had been the foolish one, to believe their rivalry would not stand in the way of the things that truly mattered.

And in a few minutes he wouldn't remember any of it.

It would be a relief, even as his heart broke at the thought of going back to the bootlicking slave he had once been. At least as a pet he wouldn't remember Hawke's voice 'If you want him, he's yours.' He wouldn't see Anders smirking as he was dragged out, and he wouldn't ache so much to know that Hawke his friend had abandoned him, and that Anders...had failed him.

The thoughts swirled around and around his head, distracting him from the numbing cold of the marble slab he was tied to. It helped with the rubbing pain of the manacles around his wrists and his ankles, it helped to block out Danarius' chanting as he moulded some more Lyrium to burn into his flesh.

He would suffer, with agony that his mind remembered only enough to warn him of what was to come, he would scream and plead, and then the memories would fade, scrubbed away by Danarius' blood magic like dead skin.

Danarius moved over to the table, his chant rising louder above him, and Fenris closed his eyes, squeezing them shut as he prepared for the pain.

But it never came.

Instead his soon to be master shrieked and there was a clatter and the smell of electricity sizzling through the air. Fenris' eyes shot open to see Danarius clutching his hand and glaring up at the doors leading into the ritual chamber. Turning the elf looked too and blinked.

It could not be.

"Release him."

He had never heard Anders voice take on quite that timbre before, calm, too calm, but with an undercurrent of rage flowing under the words. The promise of violence if he was not obeyed lingered in the air and Fenris felt his breath catch in his chest.

This had to be an illusion.

"What is the meaning of this?" Danarius shouted, storming around the altar to face Anders who was prowling down the steps, lightning and fire glittering in his hands, "You and your Champion returned him to me."

Anders mouth tightened, "And it has haunted us every day since. Release him Danarius or I will make you!"

The Magister's response was to pluck out his small dagger from his belt and slice open his wrist. Blood Magic sang through the room, the scent of it too sweet, noxious in its overpowering corruption and Fenris gagged. A blast of energy was shot towards Anders, who sketched a shield to protect himself.

Lightning and fire flew about the room, magic crackled in the air, reacting to Fenris' Lyrium brands so that he glowed, adding more eerie light to the Mage battle occurring before him.

Anders was clearly the stronger, even with Danarius' blood magic, and the Magister knew it. But Anders had the disadvantage of wanting to keep Fenris alive, so he had to pull back some of his more devastating attacks for fear of hurting the elf.

An explosion rocked the building as two powerful magicks collided and Fenris felt the marble under him crack. Another blast and it shattered, disintegrating the manacles but also throwing Fenris hard against the smooth black stone wall.

The world was spinning, the magic making bright lights explode before his eyes, and Fenris lay there, struggling with his body until suddenly everything became clear once more.

Two Apprentices had come running to their Master's aid, summoned through that fiendish blood magic. And now Anders was on the back foot, the magic of the three mages overpowering even him and Justice.

A well placed stone fist sent Anders sprawling and then an Apprentice was there, crouched over him with a dagger at his throat just waiting for the order to strike. Danarius was smirking, lifting his hand, lightning glittering in his palm as he prepared to deliver what would be a killing blow.

And Fenris was moving before he even realised it. In one swift movement, he had the Apprentice's heart in his hand and crushed it before hurling it aside and turning on the other young Mage and Danarius.

Anders magic wrapped around the Apprentice and Fenris charged Danarius, avoiding the spell by a hair, feeling it singing across his skin as he launched himself at his former master.

"You are no longer my Master!" He snarled with all the rage he felt, hand phasing into the man's chest and solidifying as he raked through him, crushing his lungs, turning bones into dust and pulverising his heart.

Silence fell as Fenris panted, crouched over the body of the man who had caused him so much suffering, realising that he had done it. Danarius was dead.

"Fenris..." Anders voice was soft behind him and the elf twisted to see the Mage still resting on one knee, amber eyes watching him intently, "Maker...I'm sorry. This wasn't how it was supposed to go."

"I don't care." Fenris shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut and stood in one fluid movement, "You and Hawke..."

"Stuffed up." Anders said softly, not moving but keeping his gaze on Fenris, "Makers breath Fenris, I swear to you we never meant him to get back to Tevinter. We would never leave you to this fetcher."

"But you did."

"We misjudged." Anders slowly stood, moving around so that he was standing before the elf, "Hawke suspected that the Hanged Man might be a trap. There were too many to fight Fenris."

"So you handed me over to Danarius,"

"To buy time." Anders said, shaking his head, "We knew the ship wouldn't be able to sail straight away and we hoped to be able to pick a fight with better odds. Get some backup."

"You...planned this?"

"Well...not this," Anders admitted with a sigh, "The plan was to get you back long before the ship sailed for Tevinter. But our rescue attempt failed miserably. Donnic almost lost a leg..." the healer sighed, "In other words the entire plan was a complete clusterfuck."

Fenris watched him, feeling a stirring of hope under his breastbone as he realised that his friends hadn't truly abandoned him.

"Hawke..."

"Is outside," Anders said with a small smile, "With the others, dealing with the guards."

"Truly?" Fenris asked cautiously.

"Truly." Anders replied with a small smile, shedding his feathered coat and tunic and handing them over to the elf, "Here..."

Suddenly realising that he was naked as the day he had been born Fenris turned away, grabbing the clothes and tugging them on with a gruff 'thank you'.

"Let's get home yeah?" Anders said, smiling slightly and after Fenris nodded, the pair of them left the ritual room and the corpse of Danarius behind.

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><p>Sailing home on Isabella's ship, Fenris could understand why the pirate was so fond of the open sea.<p>

From his place curled up on the deck, wrapped up in blankets and with pillows, the elf could see all the stars in the night sky, and found himself being lulled by the sound of the ocean and the slight rock of the sea.

But he could not sleep.

He felt like he was waiting, and although he wasn't sure what he was waiting for exactly, his body would not let him rest, knowing that whatever it was, was coming.

Sure enough the soft padding of boots came across the deck and someone sat down beside him. He knew it was Hawke by the sound they made and the huffed grunt as the man sat down. Silence reigned for a few moments later and then Hawke spoke.

"I owe you an apology." Hawke's voice was gruff, as he turned to look at Fenris, "For not telling you the plan, or that we even had a plan. I hate that you had to believe that I betrayed you, that Anders approved. I hate that you had to suffer Danarius again, because we cocked up. I'm sorry Fenris, I really am."

Fenris huddled in his blankets, listening to his friend's words and nodded, "I accept your apology."

"Not as easy as that though is it?" Hawke sighed, "You can want to forgive me all you want, but actual forgiveness will take a while."

Fenris didn't say anything. It was true.

"I just wanted you to know that I was sorry." Hawke said, grunting as he sat up once more, "Also...Anders..."

"What about him?" Fenris frowned slightly.

"He hated the plan. And when that ship sailed... I've never seen anyone go that berserk." Hawke glanced over at his elven friend and gently rested a hand on Fenris' shoulder, "I'm not supposed to tell you this...but he's loved you for a long time Fenris. I don't think he slept a wink until we were out on the sea after you. And he was insistent that Danarius was his..."

"Why are you telling me this...?"

"Because you need to know." Hawke sighed again, "Because you're both the most stubborn people I know, and unless someone helps out, you could both pine until the end of time without actually doing anything."

"Hawke."

"I know, I know...Shut up." He smiled at Fenris and got to his feet, "I'll let you get some sleep. Think on it yeah?"

There was no sleep for Fenris that night.

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><p>Two nights later and Anders found him standing by the rails, thick fur coat wrapped around him, to ward off the nights chill air.<p>

The Mage didn't say anything as he came up alongside him, leaning against the wooden rails as they gazed out at the moon and stars reflected in the water. Neither of them said anything for long moments until Anders said;

"Hawke said he told you."

"He did." Fenris responded, voice gruff.

"You haven't ripped out my heart yet."

"No."

Anders fingers hesitantly lifted and tucked a strand of silver hair back behind one delicate ear, the soft pad of his fingertips brushing along the sensitive point. A shiver moved down Fenris' spine, causing his breath to catch, and he heard the Mage's breath hitch in response.

"Fenris..." Anders voice was a whisper, but there was so much there in that one word, that one name, "Most of the time I don't know whether to kiss you or kill you...but..."

Fenris turned and his fingers found their way into Anders hair as he yanked the man down into a long deep kiss. He tasted of warmth, comfort and the softer scent of herbs, and his strong arms wrapped around Fenris' body, holding him close.

"You talk too much." Fenris murmured, and felt Anders smile against his lips before they kissed once more.

"We will have to talk about all this." Anders responded when they finally broke apart once more, "And what's going to happen when we get back to Kirkwall."

"Shut up Mage." Fenris growled, tugging his head down for another deep kiss. They clung together, rocking with the sea until finally they moved over to Fenris' pile of pillows and blankets. There they curled up together, Anders wrapping protectively around the elf.

Tomorrow they would have to talk, figure out what it all would mean. But for now Fenris was just happy he was no longer alone.


End file.
